TimT
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- Joined
- 26/9/13
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After Wolfman's kick-arse red ale which won him first prize at our last meeting/brew tasting, which he told us was inspired by Bridge Road Brewers Celtic Red Ale, I was inspired, too, to go back and sample a brew or two of that original Celtic Red Ale. I've had it a few times before and really liked it - though the flavour varies from bottle to bottle.
Anyway, bought a bottle at the Dan O'Connell Hotel today in between inebriating bouts of poetry (here's my poetic licence, officer, I'm sure I wasn't over the limit....). And you know what it tasted like? It tasted sour! Not an unpleasant sour - just a bit like a fruit, with a hint of acidity and sourness to it; almost no hop flavour at all. I poured it in the glass and caught a whiff of it: some sweetness, bit of biscuity maltiness, and a slight.... pungent smell to it, something I occasionally get from old socks or the boot of cars.....!
I know that Bridge Road Brewers prime their bottles with live yeast, old school style. So I took a squiz on the side of the bottle; it said it had been bottled mid-January of this year. So my guess is in that time most of the strong hop flavours have dropped out; and the yeast has continued doing its work to produce some really interesting fruity esters - (or maybe there is a sourness in there anyway that I haven't noticed before because I've been drinking fresher versions).
And that's about it
Anyway, bought a bottle at the Dan O'Connell Hotel today in between inebriating bouts of poetry (here's my poetic licence, officer, I'm sure I wasn't over the limit....). And you know what it tasted like? It tasted sour! Not an unpleasant sour - just a bit like a fruit, with a hint of acidity and sourness to it; almost no hop flavour at all. I poured it in the glass and caught a whiff of it: some sweetness, bit of biscuity maltiness, and a slight.... pungent smell to it, something I occasionally get from old socks or the boot of cars.....!
I know that Bridge Road Brewers prime their bottles with live yeast, old school style. So I took a squiz on the side of the bottle; it said it had been bottled mid-January of this year. So my guess is in that time most of the strong hop flavours have dropped out; and the yeast has continued doing its work to produce some really interesting fruity esters - (or maybe there is a sourness in there anyway that I haven't noticed before because I've been drinking fresher versions).
And that's about it